[Dawn] THE number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan has decreased for the first time in six years, said the UN, but assassinations by gunnies -- particularly of women, girls and government employees -- increased dramatically.

In its annual report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the UN recorded 2,754 Afghan civilians being killed in 2012, a decrease of 12 per cent compared with 2011, and 4,805 being injured, a slight rise.

The overall decline was attributed in part to one of the worst winters on record impeding fighting. Fewer suicide kabooms and a fall in the number of air strikes also helped ease 2012's corpse count.
Continued on Page 49

....There is for instance the wonderful idea that we cant get out of this hole by cutting expenditures. REALLY? REALLY? So, let me see, if my family is spending 2000 a month, while making 1500, cutting expenditures is not the way to go. We shouldnt examine our food budget, cut back on entertainment or perhaps move to a smaller place. No way no how, because cutting is not how you get out of a financial hole. No, golly-me. Were supposed to get a student loan and take a course in something the government assures us will pay off. AND were supposed to go out to eat more. And move to a bigger place. And buy a newer car. And then well be

What? I dont know. And neither do these people, because theyve never balanced a checkbook.

The Aristos dont have to balance anything. Theres always someone willing to finance them while using them as stalking horses. After all they talk so purty, and they say all the right things  the things that will allow those using them to get a greater grasp on power over the lives of everyone else.

#3
Maybe if the budget isn't balanced, the organs of the senators and congresscritters should be sold til it is.

If you can backdate it to the Congresscritters who actually got to write a budget back in 2008 maybe so. At the moment Choomster is the one who helped strip Congress of its budgetary authority by saying "continuing resolution or complete shutdown." There's a lot about Congress I don't like but let's put blame where it belongs.

#5
Nobody in executive and legislative branches gets paid until a budget is passed. No back pay when they finally pass the budget either. Every cent over and beyond a balanced budget is taken out of executive and legislative paychecks (and campaign funds) first before we deficit spend.

A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.